So the new big gay topic? Southern Baptist, megachurch leader, and profound author, Rick Warren. President-elect Barack Obama's choice of the evangelical pastor to give the invocation at his inauguration ceremony is being viewed as a symbolic "slap in the face to the gay community", especially considering the fact that very few evangelists voted for Obama and gays were some of his strongest supporters.
Yes it may suck for us to think that we have a homo-hating bible thumper in any position of power, but the fact is, it’s one person. The selection of Warren was not an attempt by Obama to discredit himself with the gay community and shun all of us, it was simply a selection. In more ways than one, Pastor Warren and President-elect Obama actually share the same worldviews. They have paralleling passions related to AIDS and HIV relief as well as to worldwide poverty. But such is life that where there are similarities, there are always differences. By now, Obama has made his stance on social issues such as abortion and gay rights clear, and these viewpoints are indeed conflicted with Warren's. But what I find intriguing is the fact that, although Warren was well-aware that himself and Obama possess very conflicting views on many (and in effect most) social policies, he cordially invited him to attend a session at his church on HIV/AIDS in Africa. And just as Warren reached out his hand to Obama amidst their differing opinions, Obama reached out his now political hand to Warren.
Now for a disclaimer: I am in no way defending Warren's viewpoints on gay's and lesbians and his comparison of gay marriage to incest, pedophilia, and polygamy. All I am saying is that we all need to just take a deep breath, step back, and look at the big picture. It was my very long-winded way of saying that we must learn to live harmoniously with each other, despite our differences in opinion.
And that is all :-)
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